These mini no-bake cheesecakes have a wonderfully fresh flavor thanks to both mint-infused syrup and whipping cream. They come together quickly with just a bit of advance planning and are perfect for summer since you don’t even have to turn on the oven. The entire family can enjoy these bite-size desserts with no artificial colors or flavors!
This post is sponsored by Sonoma Syrup Co. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that continue to make CaliGirl Cooking possible. This post also contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission when you click on them and make any subsequent purchases.
If you’re looking for an easy, refreshing dessert that’s already perfectly portion-controlled for you and your family, these Mini No-Bake Fresh Mint Cheesecakes are it! I’ve once again partnered with my friends at Sonoma Syrup Co. to come up with a tasty recipe to showcase all of the wonderful flavors of their fresh mint syrup, without any of that bright green faux mint color and flavor that shows up in most minty desserts you see. If you were a fan of my Fresh Mint Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, you’re definitely not going to want to miss this one.
Special Equipment Needed for Making Mini Cheesecakes
Before we get into the recipe itself, it’s important to note a few pieces of equipment you’ll need to make it.
Mini Cheesecake Pan (optional)
If you want your cheesecakes to be the most aesthetically pleasing, I highly recommend investing in a mini cheesecake pan with removable bottoms. I have one similar to this. If you don’t feel like investing or simply didn’t plan too far in advance to make this recipe (hey, I totally get it) you can simply line a muffin tin with paper liners for ease of pulling out the individual cheesecakes once they’ve set up in the fridge.
Hand Mixer and/or Stand Mixer
To be honest, I used BOTH my hand mixer and my stand mixer for this recipe, but you certainly don’t have to. If you only use one or the other, you’ll just have to do some transferring and extra washing of dishes while you’re putting together your cheesecakes. But you will need at least one of these! No one wants to spend hours hand-whisking heavy whipping cream until it’s fluffy.
Those are all of the special tools you’ll need, everything else is pretty standard, like mixing bowls, spatulas, etc.
What You’ll Need to Prepare in Advance
This recipe comes together in no time at all, as long as you do a little advance planning. Here are the two easy steps you’ll need to take at least a few hours before you decide to put together these cheesecakes:
- Set out the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
- Steep the whipping cream with some fresh mint so it has time to cool down before you actually move forward with whipping it.
Since we’re not baking this dessert, we want to make sure everything is at the optimal temperature before moving forward with the rest of the recipe.
How to Make a No-Bake Chocolate Crust
It’s no secret that the ultimate compliment to fresh mint is chocolate, so that’s exactly the type of crust we’re going to make. A no-bake cheesecake crust is easier than ever to put together. All you need are some crushed up crispy cookies and melted butter. Once they’re mixed together, pressed into your mini cheesecake pans and refrigerated, the butter will harden up again and form a nice solid base for the mint cheesecake filling.
I used some chocolate cat cookies from Trader Joe’s for my crust, but you could also use chocolate graham crackers or even just the cookie part of Oreo’s (no filling).
A Light-and-Fluffy Fresh Mint Cheesecake Filling
Once you have the chocolate crusts pressed into your mini cheesecake pan or cupcake tin, you’ll want to make the filling.
The first (and very important) step to a fluffy filling is to whip the mint-infused cream you prepared in advance until stiff peaks form. This will give your cheesecakes a silky, smooth and light texture that’s sure to please anyone who tries it. To really up the fresh mint flavor here, we’ll also whip in some of Sonoma Syrup’s Mint-Infused Simple Syrup, which is made with all-natural flavors and no artificial coloring.
Once your mint cream is sufficiently whipped, it’s time to make the other half of the filling by combining your room temperature cream cheese and some powdered sugar.
Next (and this is important) gently fold the mint whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and – voila! –your light and oh-so-fluffy mint cheesecake filling is ready to go.
Gently scoop the filling into your chocolate crust cups and refrigerate for at least a few hours for the filling to firm up a bit. It won’t be super stiff, but that’s how we get the light and fluffy texture. If you need the filling to be a little stiffer for removing the cheesecakes from the pan, simply pop them into the freezer for 20 minutes or so before serving.
More Ways to Use Mint in the Kitchen
Mint is such a fun and refreshing flavor to incorporate into recipes, especially in the summer. Here are some other great ideas for adding more fresh mint flavor to your recipes during these warm-weather months:
Use it to make Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Chips.
Make a classic cocktail like a Mojito or a Mint Julep.
Stray from your usual cup of coffee with a Mint Matcha Latte.
Or stick to your OG latte but add a dash of mint syrup.
And, finally, what better way to cool off from the heat than with some Vanilla Bean Mint Lemonade?
I dare you to try this recipe and tell me these Mint Mini Cheesecakes aren’t a breath of fresh, minty air. Be sure to check out Sonoma Syrup Co.’s full range of all-natural products here and leave a rating and comment below as soon as you give the recipe a try!
Mini No-Bake Fresh Mint Cheesecakes
Equipment
- Mini cheesecake pan or regular muffin tin
- Food processor (or resealable plastic bags and rolling pin)
- Small saucepan
- Heat-proof vessel for storing steeped mint cream
- Hand and/or stand mixer
- 2 medium or large mixing bowls
- Spatula
- Spoon or cookie dough scoop to fill tins
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookies (I used Trader Joe’s Chocolate Cat Cookies, or you could use chocolate grahams or Oreo’s without the filling.)
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
For the filling:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 5-8 leaves fresh mint
- 2 teaspoons Sonoma Syrup Co. Mint-Infused Simple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Fresh mint, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- A few hours before you want to make the cheesecakes, pull out the cream cheese to let it come to room temperature and make the mint-infused heavy cream. To make the cream, bring the heavy whipping cream and fresh mint to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan, then turn off the heat and let it cool down until it is no longer too hot to the touch. Transfer the infused cream to a heat-proof dish or container (I used a glass measuring cup) and refrigerate until completely cool.
- Once the cream cheese is at room temperature and the infused cream has cooled down, prepare your mini cheesecake or muffin tin pans by either spraying the cheesecake tins (with removable bottoms) with cooking spray or lining the muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the crust. Depending on the equipment you have available, either combine the chocolate cookies and melted butter in a food processor and process until finely crumbled, or smash the cookies into small pieces in a resealable plastic bag, then combine the crumbs in a small bowl with the melted butter.
- Firmly press the cookie and butter mixture evenly into the bottom of each of your tins and set aside.
- Remove the infused cream from the refrigerator and place in either a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the mint syrup and vanilla extract. Using your hand mixer or the whisk attachment on the stand mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. This may take a while, 5-10 minutes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Gently fold in the mint-infused whipped cream until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Scoop the cheesecake filling evenly into each of your mini cheesecake or muffin tins. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. If you feel the cheesecakes are still too soft, feel free to pop them into the freezer for 20-30 minutes before removing them from the pan.
Notes
- You can find mini cheesecake pans with removable bottoms here.
- Be sure to remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator and prepare the mint-infused whipping cream a few hours in advance.
- It's important to make sure the cream is nice and whipped - with thick peaks - before folding it into the rest of the cheesecake batter.
- The cheesecakes will be light and fluffy, even after setting in the refrigerator for a few hours. If you need them to be firmer for removing from the pan and serving, place them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before enjoying.
Nutrition
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
Hi Ghulam! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for leaving a comment and rating!